


Falling Slowly

by Kat92



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-03-28 18:41:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3865549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat92/pseuds/Kat92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina's life had never been an easy one. From growing up with a mother who wished she never had you, to loosing her fiance at 26.<br/>But when a young boy shows up on her doorstep one early evening, Regina knows her life will change drastically, but this time for the better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This is the beginning

 

The first week after the summer break was always the worst. The only thing that came close was the month of finals. Although by then there were no more lectures and Regina usually stayed off campus.

 

The first week, on the other hand, was hands on almost all week. Confused first years, who either got lost or needed counseling. It wasn’t so much that they were in need of help, but more the fact that there were so many of them. It felt more like teaching kindergarten than university. Normally it would take a term or two to sort out the ones who were just there because they didn’t have anything else to do, from the ones who were actually serious about their studies.

 

Making her way through the crowd of people, trying to find the right auditorium, Regina wished they’d just all disappear, so she could get to her office and hide away for a while before she had her first lecture in ‘Europe in the 19th century’.  
Avoiding bumping into anyone, while balancing a cup of hot coffee, was not an easy thing, especially on mornings like this, everyone was rushing. Thankfully, she made it to the teacher’s corridor without spilling any of her coffee. There she breathed a slight sigh of relief, before she headed towards the door that lead to her office.

 

“Excuse me?” Regina stopped, sighing inwardly before she turned, expecting to see a lost student. Instead she was faced with a tall, blue eyed, handsome, smiling man.

 

“You seem to know where you’re going.. you couldn’t tell me where my office is?”

 

“Oh.. you’re one of the new ones”

 

“Is it that obvious?” He asked, scratching his neck and smiling like he was embarrassed.

 

“No.. It’s not. You just look – lost” Regina smiled a bit and took a sip of coffee, before she waved him along with her. She walked down the hall, ending up in front of the principal’s office, where there was a bulletin board, with a map of the offices.

 

“Your name?”

 

“Robin Locksley”

 

“Professor Locksley”

 

“Just Robin”

 

Regina looked at him for a moment, before she found and pointed out his office. “There.. that’s just down the hall, on the left” She pointed in the direction as she spoke.

 

“Wonderful, thank you .. ?”

 

“Regina”

 

“Regina” He repeated, smiling at her. “Guess I’ll see you around”

 

She nodded as he turned and walked away. Then she walked towards her own office too. Locking herself into the room, she couldn’t help but be impressed with the new professor. Not many had the ability to make her smile on this day.  
11 years ago it had been the happiest day of her life. By now it was summed up by tears and wondering what she had missed in the passing year. He would be getting so big. So of course, she wondered if he was one of those skater kids. But she couldn’t picture that, not her son. Had he had his first crush yet? That might be more likely, even if 11 was a bit young for that.

 

Digging out the picture from her purse, Regina leaned back in her desk chair and sighed heavily. The baby picture was worn, clearly marked from spending nearly 11 years in her purse. It was one of the first pictures that was ever taken of him. Daniel, Henry and herself, all cramped onto one hospital bed. The picture never failed to make her smile, even if it was the kind of smile that had a heartbroken backside to it. She had had so much back then and now it felt like she had nothing. For a while there had been a family of her own, the first she had had ever since her father died, when she was not much older than Henry was now. But it had all slipped away.

 

Cora had never been a very loving woman. Regina had been shipped off to boarding school as soon as she was old enough, only back home during the summers and for the holidays. She had never gotten along with her mother and at the moment, they weren’t speaking. Hadn’t been for the past 11 years.

 

“Happy birthday my little prince” Regina whispered and kissed the photo before putting it away again.

 

Taking another big gulp of coffee, she grabbed her notes and headed for the door. Before opening it, she took a deep breath. She needed to leave her soppy mommy role at the door. That was no way of gaining respect from her new students.  
It took a while before she had composed herself to her stern professor role and was able to step through the door and face her naive students, who were totally in the dark about the hell she was about to put them all through.

 

* * *

 

 

Washington was beautiful in the late summer/start fall. The trees wasn’t quite turning yet, but there was a clear drop in the temperature, at least at night.

 

Regina was out of the university by three, which was early for her. Usually she had to stay and prepare for the next lecture, because she preferred to keep work at work. Not that she really had anything to do at home, but she might as well stay at the university as long as she worked, since no one was waiting for her at home. Well, not counting her cat. She spent most of her time outside anyway, thank god for a quiet neighborhood and a cat flap.  

 

When she pulled up outside her Victorian styled, two story, house, the place looked like it always did. Empty. A home like that really needed a couple of kids and more pets. She had the perfect home, but lacked everything else. Regina had considered moving to some place smaller, several times, but always decided against it. Usually she said it was for Cleo, her cat. She was used to running outside whenever she wanted to. Suddenly putting her in an apartment, would not be fair to her. But in reality, it was probably just as much for the fact that she needed the possibility that she might someday have somebody to share the house with.

 

After a shower and having put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, which was far more comfortable than her ‘professor look’. She liked it, the ‘professor look’ it made her feel sexy and powerful. But jeans and a t-shirt were far more comfortable.  
On Mondays, she sometimes liked to cook big things, like a lasagna or a pie. Something that she could put in the fridge and eat for dinner for the next 5 days or so. So she wouldn’t have to worry about cooking when she returned home at 9 at night, or later. And that was what she spent her afternoon doing.

 

Regina had just put a chicken and vegetable pie in the oven, when Cleo came running through the kitchen.

 

“What time do you call this?” The cat answered with a meow.

 

“You know you have more of a social life than I do, right?” Another meow.

 

“Whatever you say, empress” Regina shook her head at herself. Talking to her cat, that was her social life. If talking to colleagues didn’t count. Students definitely didn’t count and she barely spoke to her neighbors either.

 

That’s why she was very surprised when someone rang her doorbell. She checked her clock, it was nearly six. Not terribly late, but it still didn’t explain who it was. Could just be a salesperson or something, god she hoped not. She just didn’t have the patience for that today.

 

The door to her house was a big solid oak door, with a glass mosaic in the middle. Which was pretty, but made it quite impossible to see who was outside the door. So it wasn’t until she opened it up, that she was able to see the boy that was standing outside. Regina felt her breath get caught in her throat and all the blood drain from her face as she looked at the boy.

 

It was like looking into a mirror for part of it. The other part was like looking at a very young version of her Daniel.

 

“Hi” He said cheerfully, Regina was amazed that she hadn’t fallen to her knees yet.

 

“H-“ She stopped herself, it couldn’t be. What would he be doing here? Why would he come? “Henry?” She couldn’t stop herself, as she felt her eyes fill with tears, knowing already that she would be devastated if it was all in her head and it really wasn’t him. That he didn’t really have her eyes and nose, and Daniel’s ears and smile.

 

“You remember!” The boy’s smile got even wider as he looked at her.

 

“Of course” she covered her mouth, trying to cover the sob that escaped her, then moved her hand to her chest. “You’re my baby boy” Regina moved quickly away from the door, to wrap her arms tightly around him, not really caring if he would be comfortable with her hugging him or not. She hadn’t held her boy since he was 13 months, was one hug really too much to ask? Holding him close to her chest she buried her nose in his hair, almost expecting him still to have that baby smell, he had still had, the last time she held him. But of course he didn’t, instead he smelled like apple shampoo and fresh air. Her heart ached nearly as much as her arms did as she held him tightly to her, like it was all a dream and she might wake up if she let go.  
It was such a rush of so many different emotions that it was impossible to figure them out as well as holding back the tears. Tears of both all the pain that she had been through when they had taken him from her, as well as the pure ecstatic joy she felt now that she got to hold him again.

 

Letting herself have a few moments hugging him, she slowly noticed that he seemed uncomfortable in the embrace. “Sorry..” She backed away, wiping her eyes quickly.

 

“That’s okay” He said, smiling like he had hoped she would do something like that.

 

“Would you.. like to come inside?” She asked, still not quite getting that this was really happening, that Henry had somehow found her and just showed up on her doorstep.

 

Henry nodded and just stepped past her, like it was the most natural thing to do. Regina couldn’t act quite so casual. She might have become good at hiding that motherly side and pretend she was stronger than she felt. But not now, not to him. She couldn’t pretend in front of him, he would want the truth and she would be dammed if she didn’t tell him everything he wanted to hear. She owed him that much.

 

Taking a deep breath, Regina turned and faced the door, not quite sure what to expect, but she knew that she was excited no matter what.

 


	2. Pictures of the past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Photos”   
> “Of me?”   
> Regina smiled “You, me, your dad.. “ Henry grabbed the book and pulled it into his lap. The first picture was the ultrasound, with a blurry spot that looked nothing like a baby. The next was a picture of Henry, moments after he was born, still covered in goo.   
> “Eww” Henry grinned. Regina chuckled quietly, leaning in to see the picture better.

 

He seemed strangely relaxed. Maybe it was just the fact that he was a kid, or maybe he was just better at hiding it than she was. Regina on the other hand, had sweaty palms and an inability to calm her breathing. But in a good way, she hadn’t ever thought that she would get to see him. So to see him take a seat at her kitchen counter as if he had done so a million times, made her heart ache in ways she couldn’t even explain. Regina sat down next to him, unable to keep herself form staring at his face, like she had done a million times while he was still a baby. She recognized his eyes, his nose and his smile. The rest was either traits from her or Daniel.

 

The real challenge was not to reach out and touch him. Regina had only been a mother for a little more than a year, but it was so deeply rooted in her to constantly watch him, pick him up and take care of his every need. Even now.   
But to him, she was a stranger. The couple, who had adopted him, were his parents. To him she was just a clingy and soppy woman who had given birth to him. Of course she hoped that she would be more than that to him, but that was all she was to him now.

 

“Can I .. Are you thirsty? Hungry?”

 

“Got any juice?”

 

Regina smiled “Sure” she got up and got him a glass of apple juice.

 

“Thank you” Henry picked up the glass as Regina sat back down, watching him with soft eyes.

 

“Happy birthday” She murmured, making him turn to smile at her. That bright sort of smile that reminded her so much of Daniel. It was the same smile he used to give her, when she stopped by his work to surprise him.

 

“Is that why you’re here? .. Because it’s your birthday”

 

He hesitated, looking at the table for a bit, “Are you mad?” He looked back at her with his big brown eyes.

 

“God no” She shook he head, smiling at him. “Why would you think that?”

 

“You gave me up.. Maybe you didn’t want to see me” Henry shrugged, looking back to his glass.

 

“No I .. “ It felt like a kick to the gut to hear that he actually thought that about her. “I didn’t give you up.. I was living in my car and DCF found out.. That’s eh.. The department of children and families.. They didn’t think it was good for you to live there, so they .. Removed you from my care” That was their words for it. Regina swallowed a lump in her throat, remembering that day all to well. It had never been official who had turned her in, but Regina had a pretty good idea of who might have done it.

 

“Why were you living in your car?” Henry crinkled his nose.

 

“I.. “ Regina sighed and turned on her chair to face him. “Your father..” There was an immediately lump in her throat again. Swallowing didn’t help this time.

 

“My dad?” His eyes lit up to match his smile. He was clearly excited about the prospect of having a father, at least a biological one. It physically hurt her to know that she had to put out that hope.

 

She reached over and took his hand, so much bigger than the last time she held it, but still small compared to her own. “He was very sick.. We gave up our apartment so that we could pay what we could of his medical bills..” They had made an agreement with the bank, that if they could make so and so much in down payments, they could borrow a certain amount of money. But if they didn’t pay that amount, the bank would cut them off. Most likely killing Daniel by doing so.

 

“He died didn’t he?” Henry asked, looking disappointed.

 

Regina nodded, wiping her eyes hurriedly with her free hand. “He loved you.. very much”

 

The time went off, giving Regina the perfect excuse to get her emotions under control as she took the pie out of the oven, putting it on the counter to cool off a bit, before she had any of it to eat. When she turned back around, Henry was looking at his glass, twisting it around on the countertop.

 

“Come on” Henry looked up and followed Regina into her living room.

 

“Hey a cat!” Henry exclaimed excitedly, seemingly forgetting what they had just been talking about.

 

“That’s Cleopatra .. Cleo – She’s a real diva. But she likes it if you scratch her behind her ear” Regina explained as she found her photo album in one of her bookcases.

 

“My mom won’t let me have a pet”

 

Regina furrowed her brow as she moved to sit in the couch, putting the book down in her lap, as Henry petted the black cat that was lying on the sofa too. “Why not?”

 

“She says they’re too messy”

 

“Every kid should have a pet.. “ Regina muttered, not to badmouth his mother, but it was just what she thought. It was what she had thought too, when she was a kid.

 

“You did?”

 

“No .. But my mother had a dog. He didn’t like me though”

 

Henry moved to sit next to her, when Cleo had enough and jumped off the couch. “Did you have one.. before?”

 

Regina shook her head slowly “No .. Daniel – your dad, wanted a dog. But we never got around to it.. We lived in a small apartment, not the right place for a dog”

 

Henry watched her as she spoke, studying her. Regina wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that. “What’s that?” He asked, looking at the book.

 

“Photos”

 

“Of me?”

 

Regina smiled “You, me, your dad.. “ Henry grabbed the book and pulled it into his lap. The first picture was the ultrasound, with a blurry spot that looked nothing like a baby. The next was a picture of Henry, moments after he was born, still covered in goo.

 

“Eww” Henry grinned. Regina chuckled quietly, leaning in to see the picture better.

 

Turning the page, they came to the picture that was also in her purse. “That’s your dad” Regina said, pointing to one of the other pictures, that was a picture of just Daniel and Henry, on the day that he was born. “Look how happy he is” Regina murmured looking at the picture with another sad smile on her face.

 

Henry looked up at her with a slight smile of his own.

 

“Does your parents know that you’re here?” Henry quickly down at the photo album

 

“Henry??” He shook his head slowly

 

Regina restrained herself from running her fingers through his hair. “You should call them, they’ll be worried sick” She knew she would be, if he was still hers and she didn’t knew where he was.

 

Henry looked up at her, looking very unwilling to make that call. “How did you find me?”

 

“The internet?” He looked guilty, like he knew he shouldn’t have.

 

“Was it really that easy?”

 

“No.. There was this service .. I took my mom’s credit card.”

 

“Henry!”

 

“Sorry.. “ He looked at her, not really looking sad, but still like he knew it wasn’t a good thing that he had done.

 

“I’m not.. “ She repressed a cheeky smile that Henry mirrored, making her heart skip a beat or two. “I’ll pay her back.. maybe that’ll calm her”

 

Henry nodded and flipped through another couple of pages of photos, taking his time to look each one over thoroughly.   
Regina dug out her phone from the pocket of her jeans and handed it to Henry. “Call them. I can drive you home if you want, but you should call them”

 

Regina watched him closely as he dialed and then waited for her to pick up. The conversation was short, but it was easy to hear his mother’s voice and she was upset. The words ‘come home right now’ came through clearly.

 

“She didn’t sound happy” Regina murmured as Henry hung up and handed her phone back to her. Henry shook his head slowly.

 

“Did anyone know you were looking for me?” He shook his head again. “Henry” She sighed softly, unable to be mad with him, because it was her he had come to find, and because of the sad look on his face.

 

Regina grabbed the photo album, went back a few pages and took out the picture matching the one she had in her purse. Pulling it out she grabbed a pen on the coffee table and wrote her phone number on the back, before handing it to Henry.

 

“But then there’s one missing” He protested.

 

“I’ve got more copies” she smiled at him, waiting for him to take it.

 

He took it carefully and looked at the backside. “Just in case you need it” Regina smiled and got up from the couch. “Come on.. let’s get you home”

 

 

~*~*~*

 

 

The drive back to his home was quiet and much shorter than she had thought it would be. Regina couldn’t help but glance at him all the time, reassuring herself that she wasn’t dreaming. It was actually her little boy that was sitting there. It didn’t matter how many times she told herself that, it still felt unreal.

 

When they pulled up where Henry said his house was, Regina got out with him and walked him to the door. Henry barely made it to the door before it was opened suddenly by a tall blonde, who looked very angry. “Go to your room” She rumbled, before she shifted her gaze to Regina. “And you - Stay away from my son!”

 

“Mom!” Henry protested from the doorway.

 

“Go to your room Henry!” She snapped, looking at him, before quickly turning to look at Regina again.

 

“Look, he found me, I didn’t have anything to do with it.” Regina held up her hands in front of her in a defensive gesture, not wanting to start a fight with this woman. At least not in front of Henry, who was still lurking in the doorway.

 

“Stay away from him! If you ever try to contact him I’ll make sure you regret it!”

 

“I think he’s old enough to make that call on his own!” Regina said raising her voice, despite Henry still being able to hear her. “If he wants to know where he came from, that’s his right!”

 

“I’m his mom, that’s all he needs to know!”

 

“I’m his mother too!” Regina snapped, without thinking about it, immediately regretting it, her eyes drifted from his mother to Henry in the door. Henry didn’t move, but just looked back at her.

 

“Get off my property” The blonde rumbled, like she was going to explode if she didn’t obey. Instead of yelling more, she turned and walked inside, pushing Henry out of the way, before slamming the door. But that didn’t mask the sound of her yelling at Henry.

 

Regina felt bad for leaving Henry to deal with that, but she was positive that her being there would only make things worse for him. So she walked back to her car and drove home.

 

When she made it back through her front door, she turned and rested against it, while her mind spun out of control, going over what had just happened.   
Henry had somehow found her and hadn’t run away as soon as he had seen her, or when he had heard why he had been adopted by another family. Of course she hadn’t told him why she hadn’t fought to get him back, once she was settled, but maybe she’d have the chance to do that later. Henry seemed like he wanted to know more about his father and maybe about her too. If she ever got to see him again. One could hope that it was just the rage of the moment, which had made his mother say those things.

 

But if Henry was stubborn enough to steal his mother’s credit card and sneak out to find her, Regina was confident that she would see him again. Even more so, because she had given him her phone number. He would be smart enough to hide the photo from his mother, so she wouldn’t burn it or something like that.

 

She would see him again, that much she was sure of.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day passed by in a daze as she got to work and had her two morning lectures. It wasn’t until she sat in the cafeteria and was eating her lunch, that she was pulled out of her head.

 

“Regina??” A hand was waved in front of her face, making Regina turn to look at Snow, sitting next to her. Regina didn’t particularly like her, not at first anyway. But she was so persistent that sometime within the last 4 years, she had somehow grown on her and they had become friendly. Even if that was mostly Regina letting Snow talk while she ate. Her real name was Mary Margaret, but she preferred Snow. Where that nickname came from, not even Snow could remember, but pretty much everyone called her that.

 

“You’re not listening” Snow complained,

 

“Of course I am” Regina lied, not wanting to let her know that she barely ever listened when Snow got onto one of her rants.

 

“You’re staring into the air like you’re daydreaming.. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

 

 _*Just about everything, but I’m not gonna start now*_  

 

“What would that be?” just then, that new professor entered the cafeteria, immediately catching Regina’s eye.

 

“Hmmm that new literature professor maybe?” Regina could hear the smirk on her face, without even looking.

 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” She murmured and turned her eyes to look down into her salad instead.

 

“Mind if I join you ladies?” Regina looked up to see – well him of course, who else?

 

“Please” Snow cut in before Regina had a chance to say anything. But she did get to send her a scolding look.

 

“How are you settling in?” Snow asked, ignoring Regina, as Robin took a seat across from Regina.

 

“Well..  I think.. To be honest I have no idea, but at least I know where my office is now” He looked at Regina with a small smile, that she couldn’t help but mirror.

 

“So you have met,” Snow stated, she apparently already knew everything about this new professor. But that was her, she knew everyone and everyone knew her.

 

“Briefly” Regina replied, glancing at Snow.

 

“Regina was kind enough to point me to my office yesterday”

 

“And I could barely get a word out of you” Snow stated, Regina shrugged. She couldn’t say why he had been able to make her smile, but he had. Today on the other hand, she even smiled when she wasn’t even thinking about it. The time when her face would usually be wearing a frown, she now wore a smile instead. Henry had returned to her life and with him a strong glimmer of hope, that she might someday be happy again. Just the chance that she might see him from time to time, gave her more hope and made her more happy than she had been for the past decade.

 

“Maybe I just have a thing for British accents” Regina smiled first at Robin, then at Snow who looked surprised at her.


	3. New memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina could hold her liquor, unlike Snow, Snow was drunk. 
> 
> “I mean, why the hell was waiting for some update on a computer game, more important than going out with me?” Snow slurred, looking at Regina. 
> 
> “Don’t look at me, you’re the one who married a geek.”
> 
> “Mmm – handsome geek”
> 
> Regina chuckled lowly “Now I know you’re drunk” 
> 
> “Shut up – He has a great ass” Snow gestured with her hands in front of her, like she was grabbing his ass, as if it was right in front of her.

 

Forgetting Henry was no easier now than it had been before he had shown up at her door. Even though it had now been a week since that night, Regina found it impossible to push the image of him, out of her head. But it didn’t hurt as much to think of anymore, because now there was hope. The ball was still very much in his court, but he knew where to find her now and she him. Not that she would go to see him, not without his mother’s permission. And she guessed that was why she hadn’t heard anything from him, because she had told him not to. But there was hope, which was more than there had been just 8 days ago. Regina would see him again, she felt sure about that.

 

Thankfully work was enough to keep her mind occupied, lots of students in need of guidance and as much as she disliked all those people, she was glad for the distraction. Another distraction was the new professor Locksley, who seemed to look more handsome every day. Not that she was planning on acting on it, dating colleagues was a bad idea, and for her dating at all was a thing of the past. But he was a nice distraction – eye-candy. Well everyone was allowed a treat once in a while and he seemed to be a thing that made her hope that lunch would come around faster, so that she could sit across from him and pretend not to stare. She was glad that he had made a habit of joining her and Snow for lunch.   
Of course it wasn’t always just her and snow for lunch, sometimes her husband joined them too, as well as some of the other professors. But Snow was the constant, she was always there.

 

Somehow, Snow convinced her to come out and have drinks with her one night. It was one of their colleagues’ birthday, who’s name Regina had forgotten as soon as she learned it. But Snow wanted Regina to come because her husband couldn’t come and because Regina never went out with them. The way she had convinced her, would have to be nagging, Snow had started early in the week, and then mentioning it every time they saw each other. At some point Regina had just stopped fighting it and somehow silently agreed to go. She honestly hadn’t planned of staying for very long- one drink and then leave. That had been her plan from the start.

 

So to find herself at the bar, next to Snow after everyone else had gone home, was quite the shocker. Regina hadn’t had that much to drink, she honestly didn’t. Regina could hold her liquor, unlike Snow, Snow was drunk.

 

“I mean, why the hell was waiting for some update on a computer game, more important than going out with me?” Snow slurred, looking at Regina.

 

“Don’t look at me, you’re the one who married a geek.”

 

“Mmm – handsome geek”

 

Regina chuckled lowly “Now I know you’re drunk”

 

“Shut up – He has a great ass” Snow gestured with her hands in front of her, like she was grabbing his ass, as if it was right in front of her.

 

Regina almost chocked on her whiskey, as she tried really hard not to spit it out across the bar. “Please stop. This is good whiskey and I don’t want to waste it”

 

“Would you rather talk about Robin??” Snow wriggled her eyebrows at her.

 

Regina rolled her eyes, “His anatomy – yes”

 

“Oh come on Regina, you like him. Just admit it”

 

“I don’t” Regina answered sternly.

 

“Why are you so against connecting with anyone?” Snow asked sounding like she was suddenly starting to be upset. She would know that Regina really didn’t have any friends, other than her. The only reason they were friends as because Snow was so damn stubborn.

 

Regina look at her for a long moment, she had alcohol enough in her system for her to actually consider telling her why. Snow might even be drunk enough to not remember any of it in the morning, but she wouldn’t take that chance.   
“I need the restroom” She said instead and got up from her seat, leaving her purse behind.

 

“Regina!” Snow called after her, but Regina didn’t stop. It was her hope that when she returned, Snow wouldn’t remember what she had just asked her. That she would be drunk enough, not to remember.

 

What she had not expected, was for Snow to be sitting holding the photo from her purse, when she got back from the restroom. “What the hell are you doing?”  Regina snapped as she hurried over to Snow to rip both her purse and the photo from her hands.

 

“They’re closing, I was just paying for you”

 

“You could have waited” Regina snapped before she turned and headed for the door.

 

“Regina!” Snow stumbled off her barstool and hurried after Regina.

 

With a quick pace, Regina had made it almost a block down the street, thanks to not being drunk, before she heard Snow’s clumsy steps approaching from behind. “Regina wait! Please!”

 

She didn’t, Regina kept walking in the same quick pace, almost hoping that Snow would trip in her heels, so that she wouldn’t have to talk to her. But she was stopped, when Snow somehow managed to catch up and grab her arm to stop her.

 

“I didn’t mean to snoop.. I’m sorry, but who are they??” Snow was out of breath as Regina just looked at her with an icy look she normally only used with her mother or students who displeased her.

 

“None of your business” She growled.

 

“Regina” Snow sighed, not letting go of her arm. “You never told me about a baby, or a man.. Are they your family?”

 

Regina’s stony facade fell slightly at the mention of family. They had been exactly that, for one perfect year, before everything had fallen apart. She had never talked to anyone about the loss of her fiancé or her son, so it was all still raw, even now, ten years later.

 

“Regina” Snow repeated, lacking the grip on her arm a bit.

 

Regina sighed, trying to push Snow’s hands off her. “Could we not..” The slightly hurt look on her face must have been what made Snow back off, even if it was just a single step. She then kept walking, but in a much slower pace, making Snow able to walk right along her.

 

“Talk to me Regina.. “ Snow said after a while of silence. “I know you don’t like talking about yourself.. You never do but..I want to know, I’m your friend. I should know.”

 

Regina looked at her, considering her offer. She hadn’t had a person call herself her friend for a long time. It was almost difficult for her to remember just how to be a friend and how it felt to have a friend.   
The sigh that escaped was near to one of surrender, as she opened up her purse again and took out the photo to hand to Snow.

 

They stopped underneath a streetlight, as Snow looked at the photo. “That’s you?” she squinted at the picture. It was old and worn, but still.

 

“It’s not that old” Regina shot back tamely.

 

“So?” Snow asked softly, looking up at her.

 

Regina took a step closer to Snow, so she could see the photo too. “Daniel and Henry” she pointed to them on the picture.

 

“Your boy?” Snow asked.

 

Regina nodded.

 

“Why haven’t I met them??” Snow was smiling now, as she looked up at her.

 

Swallowing a lump, Regina readied herself. This was the difficult part of it. Telling Snow that she had a son and a fiancé, was one thing, telling her the darker side to the story was a whole other thing.   
“Daniel died .. 14 months after he became a father. And Henry.. The DCF took him from me, because I lived in my car to be able to keep up with the medical bills Daniel got” The hurt was clear in her both her face and her voice. Regina was sure that she would never get over the pain of losing that slice of happiness, she had fought so hard to get.

 

She didn’t look at Snow, because she knew that the look on her face, would most likely push her on the verge of tears and Regina did not want to cry now.

 

“Regina.. “ She said in a shocked whisper, putting a hand on her arm again.

 

Regina looked at the ground. “I’m not pretending they don’t exist.. It’s just easier to not have to talk about it”

 

“Do you know where Henry is now? Are you in contact with him?”

 

“He’s with a nice family in the suburbs.. But he knows.. He came to see me a week ago, on his birthday” Regina looked hesitantly up at Snow, as she folded her arms over her chest.

 

“How was that?” Snow asked, linking her arm with Regina’s as they started to walk again.

 

Thinking back on that night made her smile, a smile that carried the pride of a mother. “More than I ever dared to hope for”

 

“I can’t believe I’ve never seen this side of you.. you’re a mom. God.. That’s so grown up”

 

“I’m 36, Snow”

 

“I know.. but still. How old is he now?”

 

“He just turned 11”

 

“So you were.. 25”

 

Regina nodded, “I was still in University” She sighed deeply, looking away. “It wasn’t planned but.. We were going to be a family.. We were, for a while.. But then it all just.. Fell apart”

 

“But now Henry’s back?”

 

“Well.. His mother doesn’t seem too fond of the idea and I haven’t heard anything from him since last week. I gave him my number.. I hope he still has it” Regina worried her bottom lip between her teeth. What if he didn’t call, then what?

 

“You sound like a teenager, worried if the boy will call” Snow smiled.

 

Regina huffed out a slight laugh. “I guess I am.. He just.. “

 

“What?” Snow asked, clearly excited that Regina was finally opening up to her, took her long enough too. Four years of having lunch together and it wasn’t until now that Regina had told her anything important about herself.

 

“Looks so much like Daniel” Regina smiled again – god, she really was like a smitten teenager.

 

Snow stopped and turned Regina by putting her hands on her arms. “Just stand there for a moment, cause I’m gonna hug you” And then she did. She trapped Regina’s arms against her body, as she hugged her tightly.

 

Regina couldn’t do anything else than just stand there, feeling the odd sensation of being hugged.

 

 

~*~*~*~

 

 

One of Regina’s favorite pastimes on her days off, was going to the library and picking up a new stack of books to read. It didn’t have to be fiction, not all of it anyway, usually she liked to get some history books, the more the better really. Some of them made out bases for her lectures, but she read them because she wanted to.

 

It was a true pleasure to just wander down the long hallways of bookcases, picking out and studying whatever book caught her eye. Somehow, she always ended up going home with more books than she had planned to.

 

When she had gathered to the limit of what she could carry, Regina headed towards the exit. Walking there, she passed the study hall, which was mainly meant for students. That made it both a risk to come here, running into students on her day off, but it also made it one of the best libraries in the city, especially for books on history. Her dark eyes drifted shortly over the hall, as she passed, not expecting to see something out of the ordinary. But then her eyes landed on a very familiar face, even if it was curled up in concentrated folds, she could still recognize him.

 

Straightening up a bit, Regina felt her stomach do its usual tingling thing, that it always did when he was in the room. She told herself that it was because he was so handsome, and British, and nice. No one should be that nice when they were that handsome. Plus he was a professor, so he was intelligent too. That just wasn’t fair, it had to make some sort of unbalance in the great scheme of things. Surely he had some bad qualities too, he had to.

 

“Working on a Saturday professor Locksley?” Regina asked after sneaking up so she stood close enough to see what he was reading.   


Robin jumped in his chair; he literally jumped and turned to look at her with a very stern expression on his face, which softened when he realized who she was. “Regina” He smiled, making her smile in return. “I figured I might get a bit ahead, while Roland is away” Robin looked back at the book and his notes in front of him.

 

Putting down her big stack of books, Regina sat down across from him. “Roland?”

 

“My son” He explained, looking up at her. “I believe I have mentioned him before”

 

Regina smiled, slightly embarrassed. Had he mentioned him? Had she forgotten or had she not been listening to what he was saying? She did remember once or twice where she had been too caught up in the blue of his eyes or his accent, to really listen to what he was saying, just noticing that he was saying something. It was only thanks to Snow’s big joy of talking, that Regina hadn’t been caught, not listening. “You might have.. I could have been distracted” Oh god, was she blushing? Wasn’t she too old for that? It wasn’t like she was still a teenager, although with today’s youth, one could argue that she had about as much experience with flirting as a teenager. There had really only ever been Daniel.

 

Robin, bless him, didn’t judge her, he just chuckled at her, shaking his head a bit. “My friends normally tell me he’s all I talk about”

 

“Sorry”

 

“No no, don’t apologize, it’s quite alright.. I heard you have a son of your own”

 

Regina was glad for the change of subject, but had not expected that he would know. “Snow..” Of course, she liked talking too much.

 

Apparently, the surprise showed on her face. “She wasn’t supposed to tell?” He asked, looking concerned but also slightly confused.

 

Not quite knowing what to say, Regina gave a slight shrug. “It’s just.. Complicated” That was an easy way of putting it. Right then she wished she had never told Snow and that she could just deal with all this on her own. Like she did everything else.

 

“How so?” He seemed generally interested and Regina didn’t want to turn him down, but at the same time she didn’t want to tell him either. “Sorry – It’s not my place to ask” He cut in before Regina had the chance to say anything.

 

It was a relief that he did, that way she didn’t have to tell him that it really wasn’t any of his business. “I’m sure Snow will tell you all about it, if you ask.”

 

“Not if you don’t want me to know”

 

She looked at him for a moment, perplexed by him. “Thank you” It was a form of respect that she hadn’t seen before. Most people were so incredibly nosy, wanting to know everything.

 

He smiled softly at her, which Regina mirrored.

 

“I should leave you to your work” She got up from her seat and gathered her stack of books.

 

“You’re not working?”

 

She shook her head lightly. “I basically have no social life, I always work.. but not today” She smiled, despite the sad truth of what she had just said. Regina enjoyed her work, so she could work every day if she wanted to. Snow was more or less the only one she had something resembling a friendship with, it wasn’t like she had a lot of friends she had to stay in touch with. So instead she worked, a lot, much more than she had to.

 

Robin furrowed his brow like he didn’t like what she was saying. “What will you be doing today then?”

 

Regina shrugged, then looked at the books. “Well, apart from the obvious. I was thinking I might go to the market” Robin just looked at her, slightly confused. “You know, vegetables, fish, meats – that kind of market”

 

“Ahh” Robin nodded, smiling again. “I haven’t had much time for exploring yet – Roland insisted on having his room painted”

 

“You could come.. if you weren’t working”

 

“Well there’s always tomorrow”

 

Regina nodded, the marked was also open on Sundays, they did most of their business during the weekends, which meant that the marked would be overrun today, but Regina didn’t mind the crowd. “I’ll leave you to it”

 

“I meant –“ Robin got up, as Regina turned to leave. “I could.. Work tomorrow”

 

She looked at him, surprised. “You want to come.. with me?”

 

“If you don’t mind the company” Robin gathered his things and stuffed most of them into his leather shoulder bag, that matched most of the other professors’ at Uni. She noticed how he did all of it in a bit of a hurry. Then suddenly stopping, when he picked up his coat and stepped up to her, most likely noticing the way she looked at him. “Unless you’d rather go alone”

 

Even if Regina would rather go alone, the look of hope on his face, made it impossible to tell him no. “I don’t mind the company” She assured him, which made him smile again.

 

 

~*~*~*~

 

 

The market was absolutely overrun with people that day. Even as they approached the entrance, that became clear. “Don’t get lost” Regina smiled at him, before she ventured into the market.   
She had only taken one or two steps into the crowd, before she felt a warm hand grab hers. There was no need to look back and make sure it was him. The way his fingers curled around her hand was firm, without being clingy, gentle without the feeling that he was going to let go anytime soon. It was definitely him. The sudden feeling of skin to skin contact, sent a shiver down her spine and she was suddenly glad that he couldn’t see her face. It came to her mind that the last hand she had held for any longer than a handshake was Daniel’s. It felt like a pinch to her heart to think it, but she pushed it away as best she could. It had been a decade; she couldn’t keep missing him forever, could she?

 

There was a certain buzz at the market, one the Regina hadn’t been able to find anywhere else. It reminded her of something of the past, something she could only read about in one of her books. It was the smells, the colors, the crowd, and most of all the sounds, people talking, men and women calling out the prices of their produce and how theirs was the best at the market. If she closed her eyes, Regina could almost imagine that they were back in the Middle Ages or something like that. And it thrilled her to no end.   
She lead him past the front stalls, that were stocked with vegetables, back to one of the ones that sold cheeses. “You like cheese?” Regina turned to ask him, once she had stopped.

 

“Of course” he said, stepping closer. Because of the crowd and the confined space they were in. What other reason could he possibly have to step closer?

 

Regina turned and asked for a slice of a kind of cheese, she had tried before and had enjoyed it very much. She handed Robin part of it, for tasting and took the other part herself, nibbling of it.

 

He made an appreciative sound, that was nearly drowned out by the crowd, but thanks to standing so close she heard it. “Creamy, but strong”

 

Regina couldn’t tell he wasn’t used to cheese, or if he enjoyed it more than he let on. “It’s better with a glass of wine”

 

“No no, it’s just.. When you have a four year old, cheese is .. not this tasty” he explained as he took another nibble of the cheese.

 

Regina nodded in understanding. Not that she knew what it was like, but she could imagine. The year that she had had Henry, there hadn’t been time or money for anything more than the necessities. But she had just been a student then, Robin was quite a bit older, but most likely just as busy as she had been then. “You’re out of practice”

 

He nodded with a grin, “Terribly so”

 

“Better go and find you some wine then”

 

“Are you trying to get me drunk?”

 

“Maybe.. would you like to be drunk?”

 

“It’s 2 in the afternoon, Regina”

 

“Hmm, maybe later then” She smirked back at him, before she linked their hands again and walked away from the cheese stall.

 

She led them to a stall that sold many kinds of protein, it was a collection of produce from 5 different local farms, outside of DC. Sometimes there was even a bit of game, because one of the farmers was a hunter too. “Hello Marie” Regina greeted the girl at the stall.

 

“Regina” She greeted her with a smile. “What are you looking for today?”

 

Regina could feel his eyes on her. “I’m just looking around, what do you recommend?”

 

“Well, we have a bit of deer, but the lamb is particularly tender.. Jacob must have gone easy on his summer lambs” The girl, who couldn’t be more than 18, explained in her Scottish accent. Regina had never asked why she had come to America, she liked to imagine a story far more adventurous, than it probably was. “Who’s this then?”

 

“Marie this is Robin, Robin this is Marie”

 

“Pleasure to meet you” Robin replied.

 

“Oh a Brit!” Marie smiled, “The pleasure’s all mine” Robin smiled brightly at that.

 

“I’m showing him around the market, he’s new in town” Regina explained, after telling her which cut of meat she’d like to buy.

 

Marie started wrapping them up, but easily found time to look at the both of them. “You’ve chosen a good guide, Regina is a regular, she knows all the hidden gems of the market”

 

“Like your stall you mean?” Regina asked with a crooked smile

 

“Aye – naturally” They all chuckled at that.

 

They visited several stalls after that, Regina only knew the names of some of the people in them. “So what are you cooking with all that?” Robin asked after she’d picked up a nice bottle of wine, meat, vegetables, and they were now having a very late lunch at one of the kitchens of the market. Robin had picked up some vegetables himself, but nothing out of the ordinary. Potatoes, onions and carrots.

 

Regina shrugged, “I’m not sure yet – sometimes I plan it, sometimes I don’t. It’s more of a challenge when I don’t”

 

Robin took a bite of his sandwich and nodded while he chewed. “You enjoy cooking”

 

She shrugged again. “I do .. but cooking for one is no fun”

 

“Well what about your son, don’t you cook for him?” Robin was joking, she could tell from his smile.

 

“He doesn’t live with me” That just seemed to be the easiest way of explaining it, without getting into details.

 

“Oh- right” She could tell he wanted to ask why that was, but he didn’t. Too much of a gentleman, she figured.

 

“It’s .. complicated” She said again with a sigh, poking at her salad.

 

Robin watched her, poking her salad, not saying anything for a while. “It’s okay – You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Regina. We haven’t known each other that long, I don’t have to know everything”

 

It would be much easier, if Henry had never been taken from her. That would need no explanation, that would have been the natural way of things.   
Robin’s words were most likely meant to make her feel better, but instead it made her want to tell him even more. The problem was, that she didn’t have the words for explaining it. Telling him how her fiancé had died and her child had been taken from her, just wasn’t a thing she knew him well enough to do. She wouldn’t blurt out her past to a stranger, just like that.   
“Nothing you need to worry about, I promise. No jail time.. “ She joked, forcing a smile, which made him smile, which in turn turned her smile into a genuine one.

 

He did, however, watch her like he was wondering what it could possibly be, that she couldn’t tell him. “Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah,” She smiled softly “I’m okay”

 

“Good, then I won’t worry” He said simply and returned to his sandwich.

 

Then it was Regina who was watching him, wondering what he was all about.

 

 

~*~*~*~

 

 

He walked her to her car, when they finished exploring the market, carrying her basket, as well as his own bag. “I can carry that myself you know”

 

“I’m being a gentleman”

 

“I thought those were a thing of the past” Regina smiled, looking at him.

 

“We are a dying breed” He chuckled, trying to get a better grip on her overloaded basket.

 

“Are you sure it’s not too heavy?”

 

“It’s fine.. anyway, we’re nearly there.. right?”

 

Regina chuckled, “I’m parked right over here” She said and walked the last few meters until they reached her car. Opening the trunk, she accepted the basket from Robin and placed it in the trunk, before closing it again. “Thank you”

 

“You’re welcome” he replied with the slightest of bows.

 

“I enjoyed the company” she tried to fill the awkward silence, leaning against her car.

 

“So did I” He said quietly. “We should .. do it again, sometime”

 

Regina looked up at him, slowly. “I’d like that” She said, surprising herself. Because of course she would like that, but she hadn’t thought that he would. Neither had she thought that she’d agree to .. whatever it was, just like that. Was it a date, was it friends hanging out?

 

Robin smiled, the way that he had smiled, when she told him he could come with her. The kind of smile that made her grin like a goofy teenager. He really shouldn’t have that effect on her, she blamed the accent and the dimples, and the hair, and the blue eyes, the stubbles, the chivalrousness.   
“It’s a date, then”

 

“It is?”

 

“Isn’t it?” There was a slight smirk on his lips as he looked at her.

 

She just looked at him for a moment, trying not to let his smirk affect her. “It’s a date” Regina repeated, trying not to think of how long it had been since she was last one a date.

 

“Good” He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I should get going .. See you Monday?”

 

“Definitely” She replied and watched him as he walked away. A date. Well, that was definitely not how she thought this day would go. Annoyingly enough she had found that she liked him, even when they weren’t just having lunch together. He was nice, polite, ridiculously attractive and apparently he liked her. She didn’t understand why he did, but he did.   


 

As she drove home, Regina found that she couldn’t wait for Monday to come around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long guys, school has been absolute hell. I'm hoping that my muse for writing fanfiction has returned now. 
> 
> And I hope that this chapter makes up for it, even if it's just in a small way.


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